Month: October 2012

Last night we celebrated the last Confirmation of the 2012 season. Seventeen young people received the Sacrament representing St. Anthony in Guernsey and St. Rose of Lima in Torrington. Once again, no pictures to share, and probably just as well as I am composing this entry from the Denver Airport, and wifi reception is weak. Once again, our young people seem well-prepared to receive Confirmation. Our young people were encouraged to truly live their faith. One important connection for our young Church to make is the direct connection between Christ and His Church. One of […]

I have had the good fortune to spend a fair amount of time recently with our young Church. Last night 26 young people received the Sacrament of Confirmation at Corpus Christi in Newcastle. The youth were from St. Anthony in Upton, St. Matthew in Hulett and Corpus Christi in Newcastle. This group last night warmed my heart with their attention and participation during Mass. It shows they received a very good preparation (catechesis) as well as evidence to their relationship with Christ (evangelization.) The challenge for them and all of us in this Year of […]

This past weekend I enjoyed time with the people of St. Laurence O’Toole parish in Laramie. Saturday began around 10:00 with a meeting with the pastor, Fr. James Schumacher and continued with various meetings with staff and pastoral leaders through around 2:30 before taking a break before the Saturday evening vigil Mass at 5:30. As I was a bit ‘under the weather,’ I was remiss in taking any photos for this blog entry. The pastor and pastoral council provided some great documentation prior to my arrival, outlining the many aspects of parish life. St. Laurence […]

Given the significance religious liberty plays in this election season, prophetic wisdom from Vatican II in this Year of Faith: The Vatican Council declares that the human person has a right to religious freedom. Freedom of this kind means that all men should be immune from coercion on the part of individuals, social groups and every human power so that, within due limits, nobody is forced to act against his convictions nor is anyone to be restrained from acting in accordance with his convictions in religious matters in private or in public, alone or in […]

Last night I had the great opportunity to pray and visit with the junior and senior high students of our Cheyenne parishes. I was very mindful of a comment made this week by one of the Synod Fathers gathered in Rome this month for the Synod on the New Evangelization. He said: “Bishops should spend time with our young people. They like us and we need to develop our relationship with them.” I agree wholeheartedly! After a brief ‘introduction’ to Adoration, we exposed the Blessed Sacrament, reflected upon Sunday’s Gospel and took about 20 minutes […]

Our Year of Faith is off to a good start. Around 400 people, including 80 – 100 youth celebrated well in Lander last Saturday. Yesterday an estimated 700 people including 120 youth continued the celebration at St. Patrick in Casper. Both events enjoyed the blessing of weather which allowed for safe travel and the beauty of the fall season. I am edified to see in each of these events the great number of people seeking the Sacrament of Reconciliation prior to Mass. For an hour, most of the priests who gathered were kept busy with […]

The Church of Cheyenne gathered again today in Casper for the second Mass to begin our Year of Faith. Below is today’s homily. Pictures and story will follow. As we gather today, we celebrate the beginning of the Year of Faith, which our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI inaugurated on Thursday this week. This Year of Faith is a year to both give thanks for and to reflect upon the fruits of the Second Vatican Council as well as the publishing of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. For us here in Wyoming, it marks […]

Last night, a group of thirty or so young adults came to the Bishop’s residence for Adoration and fraternity. For nearly a year now, we have gathered one Thursday evening a month to spend time in prayer and simply enjoying each other’s company. I want so much for our young church to know of my love and support. More importantly, I want them to know that Christ is with them. Christ is speaking to them, longing to draw them into an intimate embrace of love and the guidance of His Holy Spirit. It was very […]

In this month of October dedicated to respect for human life: From the Document The Church in the Modern World: Today there is an inescapable duty to make ourselves the neighbor of every man, no matter who he is, and if we meet him, to come to his aid in a positive way, whether he is an aged person abandoned by all, a foreign worker despised without reason, a refugee, an illegitimate child wrongly suffering for a sin he did not commit, or a starving human being who awakens our conscience by calling to mind […]

I just learned today of the death of my first pastor as a newly ordained priest. Fr. Joe “Mac” McNally. As any priest will quickly tell you, the ‘first pastor’ leaves a lasting impression; some good, and some not! I was blessed mine was all good! Mac was the second pastor of a fairly new parish on the south side of Indianapolis, St. Barnabas. Shortly after I arrived, the founding pastor had a stroke, and Fr. Mac came to me and said: “Paul, I want Fr. Sciarra to move back into the rectory with us.” […]

Welcome to my blog, and thanks for visiting! I became the 4th Archbishop of Anchorage on November 9, 2016 after 7 years as the Bishop of Cheyenne and many more as a priest of the Archdiocese of Indianpolis.

Preaching is a priority for my episcopal ministry, and this blog is my humble effort to engage the New Evangelization and to serve you, God’s holy, faithful people! Enjoy your visit, and together, may we grow in truth and love.